Baby bottles are used as an alternative or supplement to breastfeeding babies and toddlers. Baby bottles are frequently filled with breast milk, formula, or even juice, water, milk, or other liquids. Typically, a caretaker will fill a predetermined amount of liquid, such as formula, into the baby bottle, and then thread a nipple onto the baby bottle. The caretaker will have decided on the predetermined amount, such as four ounces, based on a number of factors, such as the baby's size, the time of feeding, the baby's feeding habits, etc. The caretaker gives the bottle to the baby and feeds the baby until the liquid is consumed. Sometimes, a baby is still hungry after completion of a feeding, and the caretaker may wish to prepare more formula to feed to the baby. This requires that the caretaker threadably remove the nipple from the bottle, place the nipple down, mix the formula into water, add it to the bottle, and then replace the nipple. If the nipple was placed on a dirty surface, such as a floor or messy counter top, this could contaminate the newly-prepared liquid within the bottle. Further, it can be awkward to mix formula in a bottle while also dealing with a baby who is still hungry after feeding and is likely crying or flailing.
When a baby does finish feeding, the bottle and nipple must be cleaned. Generally, this requires threadably removing the nipple from the bottle and cleaning the nipple and bottle separately. Some caretakers will wash both by hand, some will wash one by hand and the other with a dishwasher, and some will wash both with the dishwasher. Regardless of the method of washing, it is important to keep the nipple and bottle together; some nipples fit only certain bottles, some nipples dispense faster or slower than others and should not be confused, and sometimes a special rack has to be used in a dishwasher to clean a nipple so that it is not lost or damaged.
Given that a caretaker's life is often already busy and hectic by the presence of an infant or toddler, an improved device allowing caretakers to better attach a nipple to a bottle, access the interior of the bottle during feeding, and clean the bottle is needed.